At least seven people have died and hundreds remain missing after a boat carrying undocumented migrants, predominantly Rohingya, sank near the maritime border between Thailand and Malaysia. The tragedy, which unfolded last week, has once again cast a harsh light on the extreme dangers faced by one of the world's most persecuted minorities.

According to statements released on Sunday, 9 November 2025, by First Admiral Romli Mustafa of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), the vessel is believed to have capsized around Thursday, 6 November, in Thai waters near the resort island of Langkawi. A multi-day search and rescue operation was launched on Saturday, 8 November, after survivors were spotted drifting in Malaysian waters. As of Monday, 10 November 2025, EAT, Malaysian and Thai authorities had recovered the bodies of at least seven individuals, including a Rohingya woman, while 13 people—11 Rohingya and two Bangladeshis—had been rescued. The search is expected to continue for several days.

Malaysian officials, citing survivor testimonies, reported that the capsized boat was one of three smaller vessels used to ferry approximately 300 people from a larger 'mother ship' that had departed from Buthidaung in Myanmar's Rakhine state about two weeks prior. This tactic is a common strategy used by human trafficking syndicates to evade detection by maritime patrols. The fate of the other two boats and the hundreds of people they were carrying remains unclear, prompting grave fears of a much higher death toll.

A Cycle of Persecution and Peril

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, have for decades been subjected to systematic persecution, denied citizenship, and faced extreme violence. A brutal military crackdown in 2017 forced more than 750,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh, creating the world's largest refugee settlement in Cox's Bazar. However, conditions in the overcrowded camps are dire, and the situation within Rakhine State remains catastrophic. A September 2025 report by Amnesty International described ongoing forced labour, severe movement restrictions, and escalating armed conflict, with Rohingya civilians caught between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army. This unrelenting oppression and lack of hope fuels the dangerous sea journeys across the Andaman Sea, typically undertaken between November and March when conditions are more favourable.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has documented a sharp increase in these perilous voyages. According to data released in November 2025, more than 5,200 Rohingya have attempted the sea journey this year, with nearly 600 reported dead or missing even before this latest incident.

A Familiar Global Challenge

While geographically distant, the tragedy in the Andaman Sea presents a stark parallel to the migrant crises affecting regions of direct concern to Kenya and East Africa. The desperation driving Rohingya to board unseaworthy vessels is analogous to that of Ethiopians and Somalis crossing the Gulf of Aden—described by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as the world's busiest maritime migration route—to reach Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula. In August 2025, an IOM report highlighted a single incident where a vessel capsized off Yemen, leaving 56 dead and 132 missing, underscoring the universal dangers of these irregular routes.

These crises share common, tragic themes: persecution and conflict as push factors, the exploitation by ruthless human trafficking networks, and the often-inadequate response from regional and international bodies. According to the IOM's Missing Migrants Project, 2024 was the deadliest year on record for migrants globally, with at least 8,938 deaths recorded worldwide, a significant portion of which occurred at sea.

Kenya itself is a major host nation for refugees, with over 830,000 people, primarily from Somalia and South Sudan, residing in camps like Dadaab and Kakuma as of May 2025. The country's recently enacted Refugee Act of 2021 aims to move away from a strict encampment policy towards greater integration, a recognition of the protracted nature of displacement. This domestic experience provides a crucial lens through which to view the Rohingya's plight, highlighting the shared global responsibility to address the root causes of displacement and create safer, legal pathways for those seeking refuge.

Regional Policies and International Pleas

The response from Southeast Asian nations to the Rohingya exodus has been mixed. Malaysia, while not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, hosts over 117,000 registered Rohingya refugees and is a preferred destination due to its Muslim-majority population. However, in recent years, it has tightened border controls, turning away boats in January 2025. As the incoming chair of ASEAN for 2025, Malaysia has stated its intention to lead regional efforts to address the crisis in Myanmar. Following the latest sinking, the UNHCR has urged regional governments to enhance search and rescue operations and work towards long-term solutions that uphold the dignity and rights of refugees.